Smoking is a well-established risk factor of heart disease. Many individuals try to quit but fail to achieve complete abstinence. Researchers in Israel followed over 1500 patients for an average of 13.2 years who were admitted to hospital following their first heart attack. Not surprisingly, those who had never smoked or who had quit prior to the heart attack had the best survival rates. Among those who cut back on the number of cigarettes smoked, each reduction of 5 daily cigarettes smoked resulted in an 18% lower death rate compared to 40-48% for those who quit.
PositiveTip: Quitting smoking is by far the best option, but significant benefits result from cutting back on the number of daily cigarettes smoked.